‘Seeds of Goodwill’: Brownie Bash to Honor Josh Brown With Local Musical Lineup

Jeff Brown had just moved to Centre County for a radio job when he discovered how much the locals care for one another.

If a house burned, they called the station wanting to know where to send donations. They asked what sizes of replacement clothes they could offer, too.

The spirit of the place amazed Brown. “That’s what kept me here all these years.”

Nearly four decades since he arrived in the Nittany Valley, community support after the sudden death of his oldest child has overwhelmed the longtime broadcaster, Brown said. A volunteer-led fundraiser honoring Josh Brown, 40, of State College, will bring together a half-dozen musical acts Oct. 17 at 814 Cider Works in Ferguson Township.

Proceeds from the Brownie Bash will benefit Josh’s wife, Danae Blasso, and their daughter, Thea, 2. He died Aug. 4 after a car accident in Blair County.

To Josh’s father, the nearly daylong public event is “such an outpouring of kindness and goodness, you wonder if you really deserve it or not.”

“I think it’s a wonderful way of showing how much Josh was loved and thought of,” Jeff Brown said. He “can’t believe all these people are rallying for my family.”

He and Josh’s three siblings, along with members of the extended family, all plan to attend, Brown said. “We’ll never ever, in a million years, be able to repay this kind of kindness. It’s unbelievable.”

Upward of 100 people are supporting the event, including musicians, audio professionals, contributors to a basket raffle and the team at the cidery, said organizer Nancy English. 

A friend of the Brown family, she set plans in motion immediately when she learned of the accident. As word spread, people inundated her with dozens of unsolicited offers to help — a testament to the love across the region for the Browns, English said.

Josh’s late mother, Cathleen “Cathy” Brown, served nonprofits including CentrePeace. Outside his on-air work at classic-rock station WBUS-FM, Jeff Brown is a frequent community volunteer, sports announcer and recently retired faculty member in Penn State’s Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications.

“It is very clear to me that [the Browns] have planted so many seeds of goodwill, volunteerism, community mindedness, civic mindedness,” English said. “It’s clear that they have touched this entire village, and this village wants to respond in kind.”

English is collaborating on the Brownie Bash with brothers Andrew and Matt LeClair, partners in the family-owned 814 Cider Works. Unbeknownst to each other, Andrew LeClair and English had both contacted Jeff Brown to offer a gathering. 

Andrew LeClair graduated from State College Area High School alongside Josh and stayed in touch. He remembers his friend, a sergeant at the State Correctional Institution in Benner Township, as “strong but gentle, caring and loving, someone there to listen, not judge.”

Josh was “someone wholesome who understood the simple things and what mattered,” Andrew LeClair said. “It didn’t matter who you were, what clique you were in, what you aligned with — he could find commonality among everyone and somehow bring them all together. I think that’s very special and unique and something we all can strive for.”

Andrew LeClair expects a community atmosphere, a celebration of Josh’s life and recognition of the Brown family at the Brownie Bash, titled to channel Josh’s nickname. The event will encourage people to “expand their circles and realize there’s a lot of great people out there willing to come together in some divisive times in our lives,” he said.

“It’s important for the family to know there’s a community here, and there are people to reach out to, even on the darkest days,” Andrew LeClair said.

As for logistics, English said food trucks will be on hand through the gathering, tentatively scheduled for 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. She’s providing updates via the Brownie Bash page on Facebook. No pets or outside alcohol or food will be allowed.

So many musicians reached out that English could have booked a three-day festival, she said. In-kind contributors include Best Event Rental and George Powell of GP Audio.

Many dozens of individuals, businesses and service providers are contributing to the robust basket raffle, including with original artwork, travel, themed collections, gift cards and signed children’s books by a local author, English said. A donation bucket will be available, and both Venmo transactions and cash will be accepted for direct contributions and the raffles.

Musicians said they want to honor the Brown family. The Miss Melanie Trio just practiced a new song it hopes to play at the bash, lead singer Melanie Morrison said.

“I think if we can raise a lot of money for this family, that would be the perfect use of our energies, time and efforts,” she said.

Also in the lineup, Biscuit Jam member Mark Hill said his duo is pulling for a strong turnout. They have collaborated with Jeff Brown for past functions.

“I think this is a chance to be there for the family in their time of need,” Hill said. “As musicians, this is what we have to offer.”

Other performers booked for the bash include the Extractors, SGT Bob, Coal Aly and Mike Weyrauch.

For the Browns, music is a regular backdrop at family gatherings. “And this will be a great example of it,” Jeff Brown said.

“I want everyone to come out and not be sad. I want them to have fun,” he said. “This is going to be a huge event, and it’s going to be so fun. That’s how Josh should be remembered — as a very loyal, very fun guy who I am sure is looking down and just shaking his head at everything that’s being done.

“As we all are.”

Adam Smeltz is a StateCollege.com contributor. Reach him at asmeltz@gmail.com.